Some of Dalt Vila’s most familiar streets can still hide details that are easy to miss.

Ibiza photographer Joan Costa is bringing those overlooked corners into focus with “Mirades Perdudes”, a double exhibition presenting 40 large-format black-and-white photographs across two historic spaces in Dalt Vila.

The exhibition opens on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at Es Polvorí and the Refectori of the Old Town Hall, and can be visited until November 6. Admission is free.

Forty Images Across Two Historic Spaces

The exhibition is divided between two locations.

Es Polvorí, the former gunpowder magazine at the Santa Llúcia bastion, presents 20 photographs. Another 20 images are displayed at the Refectori in the Old Town Hall.

All 40 works are presented in large format and black and white, offering Costa’s personal view of Dalt Vila and its details, corners and everyday scenes.

The photographs were selected from Costa’s extensive archive, which contains more than 80,000 images, including thousands connected to the walled city.

Rather than simply documenting the best-known landmarks, the exhibition encourages visitors to look more closely. Costa invites people to try to identify the locations shown in the photographs and discover where each image was taken.

Dalt Vila Through a Photographer’s Eyes

Costa has spent decades photographing Ibiza and has returned repeatedly to Dalt Vila, finding new subjects in its streets, architecture, people and changing atmosphere.

The exhibition includes details that may otherwise go unnoticed, as well as photographs capturing local occasions such as the Medieval Fair and celebrations in honour of Santa Maria.

For Costa, returning to the same places does not necessarily mean seeing the same thing. Changes in light, season, activity and the people moving through the historic centre can create different photographic opportunities.

Speaking about the exhibition, Costa said that he has spent a great deal of time walking around Dalt Vila and enjoys the area both for the setting itself and its atmosphere.

A Career Connected to Ibiza

Born in Ibiza in 1968, Costa has worked professionally as a photographer since 1988.

His career has taken him beyond the island, including work in Mallorca, Barcelona and Madrid, as well as travel photography. His work has also included projects focused on Ibiza and its popular culture, including “Naltros”, and a book about Dalt Vila published by Ibiza Town Hall.

The exhibition therefore represents more than a collection of photographs of the historic centre. It brings together decades of Costa’s relationship with the island and his habit of observing places that can become familiar through repeated visits.

Encouraging Residents to Rediscover Dalt Vila

There is also a personal element to the project.

Costa has spoken about feeling saddened at times when walking through the walled city and seeing what he describes as predominantly tourist activity. He hopes the exhibition will encourage local residents to return to Dalt Vila and rediscover the historic centre.

That is an observation from the photographer rather than a statistical assessment of visitor numbers, but it helps explain the idea behind “Mirades Perdudes”.

The exhibition asks visitors to slow down and look more carefully at a part of Ibiza that many people already know.

Exhibition Details

Mirades Perdudes by Joan Costa
Dates: October 6 to November 6, 2026
Admission: Free
Locations: Es Polvorí and Refectori, Dalt Vila, Ibiza Town

Es Polvorí: Tuesday to Friday, 18:00 to 20:30; Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 to 13:30. Closed Mondays and public holidays.

Refectori: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 14:30.

The opening takes place on October 6, beginning at Es Polvorí at 20:00, followed by the Refectori at 20:30, where a musical performance is scheduled as part of the inauguration.

“Mirades Perdudes” offers a different way of experiencing Dalt Vila: not by searching for its most famous views, but by paying attention to the smaller details that can disappear when we think we already know a place.